CG Hustler third baseman Patrick Harvey makes an acrobatic throw for an out in Thursday’s American Legion baseball game played in The Dalles. The Hustlers won, 14-9. Ray Rodriguez photo
CG Hustler third baseman Patrick Harvey makes an acrobatic throw for an out in Thursday’s American Legion baseball game played in The Dalles. The Hustlers won, 14-9. Ray Rodriguez photo
Columbia Gorge Hustler co-head coach Doug Sawyer said he can learn a lot about a team when they are faced with adversity.
Over the past two weeks, the Hustlers re-shuffled their coaching staff, overcame injuries and departures, but managed to put together a streak of four wins in the past five games, capped by a 14-9 triumph over Pendleton Thursday in a one-game American Legion playoff matchup at Bob Williams Field.
“It means a lot to keep our season going. We stuck through and stayed together through all of the turmoil and kept playing hard,” said Bailey Ortega. “We all came together playing elimination baseball even when we were down three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on Sunday against David Douglas. We kept playing hard and gave ourselves a shot to be in the position we are in today.”
The Hustlers fell behind 3-2 entering the bottom of the third, but rallied for seven runs to turn the tide.
Kolbe Bales, Colton Walker and Johnny Miller each had back-to-back-to-back RBI walks, and then Boston Bate stroked a three-run double to left centerfield to score Bales, Walker and Miller to swell the Hustler lead to 8-3.
Morgan Williams then chased home Bate with a two-out RBI single to center to make it 9-3.
Bales and Walker added RBI groundouts in the fourth to give the Hustlers an 11-3 advantage, but Pendleton scratched across four runs in the sixth to creep to an 11-7 deficit.
The Hustlers responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.
Bales scored on a throwing error, Miller crossed home on a passed ball and with two outs and the bases loaded, Ortega hustled home safely on a wild pitch.
CG’s Patrick Harvey held Pendleton scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings and Walker then retired the final two batters he faced in the ninth, the last one on a strikeout to end the game.
Williams and Dallas Buckley had two hits and a run scored apiece, Noonan scored three runs, Harvey added two hits and two runs scored and Bate had three RBIs and a run scored to lead the Hustlers.
Bales tossed 1 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts and three walks to pick up the relief win.
Walker and Harvey finished the last 3 1/3 innings and combined for four strikeouts and three walks.
Even with all of the struggles, they have remained solidified for a common goal.
“It shows that we have heart to be able to come through with the streak we have going,” Bales said. “We are playing well right now and I feel like we are coming together as a team at the right time. We are showing people that we actually can play baseball. We struggled a little bit at the start of the season, but we are coming together and it is looking good right now.”
Up next, the Hustlers play in a three-game Super Regional at Dallas High School against the Salem Dirtbags starting at 1 p.m. Saturday for two games.
If the teams split, Game 3 is at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
“The way I look at it as a coach, is I look at the challenge. You do not go in afraid,” said Sawyer. “I told the kids that we don’t fear them, but we still have to go down and play our best baseball. We’ve got to come ready to play. If we don’t, they will take us out. It is going to be serious and it is going to be tough.”
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